


Cargument of Carguments

by DarkwingedAngel999



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Can they get their...together?, Feelings, M/M, Will They/Won't They?, a new case, accidental love confession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2018-12-23 01:03:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 16,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11978838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkwingedAngel999/pseuds/DarkwingedAngel999
Summary: Danny and Steve. Partners. Friends. More? A case like any other. A cargument like any other...Stop! Not this time. This cargument is special. Something is said, which was not meant to be said, but it came from the heart. And how will the other party react? (McDanno Slash)





	1. 1. More Than A Partner

**Author's Note:**

> This is a translation of my own FF, originally written and published (elsewhere) in German. I've written this a while ago and it is already finished. Now it's just a matter of translating. I hope you enjoy my little drama between McDanno ;) If so, I'd like to read your thoughts ;)  
> P.S. The above-mentioned cargument will occur in Ch. 2

„You want to do what?“  
Danny looked at his boss and partner with a look of sheer disbelief.  
“I’m going in through the ventilation shaft and sound the situation!”, Steve explained once again while he was checking his equipment.  
Danny laughed ironically.  
„Oh, great, and here I was thinking you’d go on yet another suicide mission.”  
He shot Steve an outraged look.  
„What the hell is wrong with you, Steven, huh? There are countless members of the Yakuza in there armed up to here and they will not hesitate to shoot the crap out of you and you want to go in there just like that?”  
“Do you have a better idea? We have to rescue the woman and the child before it is too late. I mean, you heard the Governor: Their conditions will not be met!”  
Steve was ready. Danny observed him, and for a short moment he wanted to stop him, punch him out, whatever, only to keep him from putting himself at risk.  
“Steve…“  
But Steve interrupted him.  
„What am I supposed to do, Danny, huh?”  
Steve observed to building carefully. He could reach the rooftop easily over that ladder over there. Then he would look for a way to enter. He took his walkie and informed Kono, Chin and the other officers.  
“So I’ll climb up to the roof and look for a way to enter the building. As soon as I know where the women and the child are, I’ll give you a heads up. As soon as they are secure, I’ll distract them. Then you’re going in, okay? It has to go down fast or else the two of them are in severe danger.”  
“Copy that!”, Chin and Kono responded.  
Then Steve looked at Danny.  
“How about you?”  
Danny hesitated a moment. He felt the fear boiling up inside of him. Not for himself, but for his partner, his best friend.  
“Danny!”  
“Alright, alright, I’m in!”  
Steve nodded. Then he made his way over to the building, trying to make as little noise as possible. He had to be careful so they wouldn’t see him through the windows. He prepared himself to catch a bullet, but he remained unseen. He swiftly ascended the ladder. Danny shook his head.  
„Damn it, Steven!“  
His heart was beating like crazy…  
However, everything turned out fine, thanks to Five-0. Both the woman and the child remained unharmed. Three of the Yakuza however, were less fortunate. Steve had chased down the boss which culminated in a heated fist fight in which Steve himself suffered more than one blow. When Danny had reached Steve, he had already handcuffed the Yakuza boss.  
“Looking great, Steven!”  
Danny pointed at the shiner blossoming around Steve’s left eye and at his lips bleeding. To round it up, Steve’s nose was dripping blood. He grinned.  
“Book him Danno!”


	2. The Cargument After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's kick this off, shall we? ;) This is the one where we start our ride^^

After Steve had himself checked by the doctor, he was driving back to the Five-0 headquarter wuth Danny. They were silently sitting next to each other. Danny did nothing but stare right ahead, trying not to look at Steve next to him. Steve, on the other hand, closely observed Danny. Something was different today, he just couldn’t say what. But he couldn’t stand Danny behaving strangely. On a normal day in the office, they would’ve already started arguing like an old married couple like always. But today, Danny was so quiet, and not in a good way. He somehow seemed on edge. Okay, then he would kick their cargument off.  
“Alright, Danny, go ahead and say it! You know, you might choke on it…”  
Danny shot a Steve a look of…what really?  
“What else do you want me to say, Steven, huh? Good job going off on another suicide mission once again!”  
“Oh, here we go!”, Steve thought and was looking forward to this.  
“You know, Steve, every time, I think you cannot surprise me anymore, you manage to outdo yourself. Walking into a building filled with Yakuza. And, as a cherry on top, you have your face processed into a pound of minced meat. Kudos!”

“What was I supposed to do? We had to do something! What would you have done, Danny?”  
He wasn’t serious right now, was he?  
“A normal cop would’ve waited for back up and not head out on his own!”  
“Okay, I’ll take notes for next time, then!”  
Danny shook his head an looked out of the window.  
„That’s all?“, Steve thought.  
But he recognized that this actually was not all. Something was still bugging Danny.  
“Anything else or is this lesson over?”, Steve finally asked.  
“I’m gonna kill him!”, Danny thought, the fury boiling up inside.  
He tried to stay calm. He knew, there was no need any more to be afraid, the danger was defeated, Steve made it out in one piece. Yet, his heart was beating like a jungle drum.  
“I’m waiting, Danny!”  
“You know, Steve, normal people think: “Oh, that’s dangerous, I’m not gonna do that!” And then there is you. You think: “Oh, danger! Well, count me in!“ But do you ever think there might be people you are important to? Who worry about you?”  
Danny become increasingly furious. Steve listened to him and thought of his next words, with which he would make Danny lose his mind completely.  
“But noooooo!, The oh-so-cool Steve McGarrett will be just fine. And I can just watch you risking your life time and time again, and everytime, I’m dying of fear because I love you and…”


	3. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one after the bombshell...

The secret was out. Danny stopped in shock. He hadn’t intended to say that last part out loud. He starred out the window and did his best not to look at Steve. Steve, on the other hand did look at Danny in full surprise. Of all the things Danny could have said, that was the last thing Steve expected to hear. Granted, he had been dealing with blossoming feelings for Danny in the past, but he had been absolutely sure that Danny was as straight as an arrow and so he had buried deep until they simply vanished…or did they?

Steve wanted to break that thickening ice.  
“Damn it, Steve, say something – anything. Think of something, some cool line that can get the two of you out of this predicament.”  
He though hard about what to say to lighten the mood, but what does one say after an accidental love confession? Especially when it came from out of nowhere?

„So, you…“, Steve started talking.  
Danny closed his eyes in pain. Why did Steve have to ask further? God damn, this ride had become sheer torture. Thank God it was almost over.  
“So, you think I’m cool?”, Steve asked trying to sound as if nothing had just happened, as if Danny hadn’t just bared his feelings.  
Danny sighed, but said nothing and continued staring out the window onto the green hell of his God-forsaken island. He had noticed Steve trying to show him a way out of this misery, but to him this was slap across the face. No, he wasn’t able to shoot back like always, he couldn’t continue to sit next to that man he had just confessed his love to and fight like an old married couple. It had taken only one sentence to change their relationship completely. Steve looked at Danny as long as he could expect an answer, and then looked straight ahead at the street. His head was working overtime. How to behave? What did he feel? How would they go on? Steve didn’t know. He did know, however, was that his friendship with Danny had become a whole nother dimension of complicated. 

When they had finally arrived at the headquarter, Steve tried to talk to Danny before they would face the others.  
“Danny…”  
But Danny had already unfastened his seat belt and was on his way out of the car. The just couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to get away from Steve. Now! He was almost running towards to entrance to the building.  
“Danny…!”, Steve yelled, but he ignored him.  
Steve kicked his car.

“Do not break down. Not yet!”, Danny told himself as he was walking step by step towards his safe place, his office. When he took a right to the Five-0 office, he passed Kono Kalakaua without saying a word.  
“Danny, where is Steve?”  
Danny didn’t answer, he opened the door to his office and entered.  
“Whatever happened to him?”, Kono wondered, when suddenly she heard footsteps approaching.  
She turned around, when her boss Steve McGarrett passed her, apparently he wanted to have another word with Danny.  
“Steve, what the hell is…”  
“Not now, Kono!”, Steve interrupted.  
He stopped in front of Danny’s door and watched him through the glass. Danny was standing there, his hands behind his head an pacing around like a wounded animal. Steve already had the handle in his hand, when the saw Danny noticing him, looking at him pleadingly and shaking his head to leave him alone. A bit disappointed, Steve left the door unopened and, with a last glance at Danny, he went into his office. Kono had obsevered everything.  
“What the hell is going on here?”, she asked herself while looking from Steve to Danny…


	4. Officer Kono Kalakaua‘s Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which Kono investigates...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all your comments, kudos and reads. :) I'm happy you like my story so far and hope you will stick with it until the end.  
> So this one is a bit longer than the first three. But it is rather slow plotwise. I hope you like it anyway. :)

Kono was standing at the computer table in the center of Five-O’s office and was staring at the display. In her mind, she replayed the scene from before. Granted, Steve and Danny were fighting from time to time, but this was different somehow. More serious, more intense. It wasn’t their typical routine of two best friends. 

Before she could think any further, however, Steve was storming passed her.  
“Steve, is anything the matter?”  
Kono tried to keep up with her boss.  
“Nothing!”, Steve answered without stopping or even looking at her.  
Kono kept walking beside him. Maybe he’d say something else. But Steve didn’t seem to notice her anymore. At last, Kono stopped him with a tap on his shoulder.  
“Steve, what is wrong? Was what that with you and Danny all about?”, she worried.  
Steve turned around and faced her.  
“It was nothing, really. I just have to clear my head from the case. That’s all!”, Steve assured the young surfer chick with a soothing smile.  
Kono, however, was not convinced, but her instinct told her, that she wouldn’t get any further here. She nodded.  
“Okay…Are you coming to Kamekona’s later?”  
“Of course!”  
Steve smiled at her and walked away. Kono watched him, lost in thoughts…

When she came back, she walked into Chin’s office. When she entered, Chin looked up from his papers.  
“Cousin, what’s up?”  
Kono sat down in front of Chin’s desk and said nothing for quite some time.  
Then:  
“Don’t you think Steve and Danny are acting pretty strangely today?”  
“You mean more strangely than usual?”  
He looked over to Danny, who, seemingly unfocused, was doing paperwork they all had to do to close the case for good.  
“Danny seems to be a bit beside himself, as was Steve, but you know the two!”  
Chin watched Kono’s expression. He knew it all too well.  
“Okay, cousin, I know that look. You think something serious went down between the two, don’t you?”  
“Maybe I’m mistaken…”  
Chin got up, walked around the desk and casually leaned against it while crossing his arms in front of his chest and grinning at Kono.  
“What?”  
“Kono, you’re ohana. I know you. And I know you have the eye for such things. So if there really is something, you know exactly what to do…”

Five minutes later Kono carefully opened the door to Danny’s office and knocked against the glass. Danny looked up.  
“Kono!”  
“Okay, he is a bit distressed…”, Kono noted.  
“Danny, I want to talk to you!”  
“Sure, what’s up?”  
“It is about Steve and you…”, Kono started but left the sentence unfinished.  
Danny looked as if the was caught. Why did she wanted to talk to him about Steve today of all days?  
“He seems caught. Doing what?”, Kono thought and observed Danny very closely.  
“Look, Kono, if it is about before, I’m sorry for having been so rude…”, he apologized.  
“Boy, I hope she leaves it at that!”, Danny thought, but instantaneously know that that was not going to happen.  
“No problem, brah!”, Kono smiled.  
“That’s what I feared!”, Danny thought.  
“Is there anything else?”, he asked as casually as always.  
“Did you guys have a fight? A real one I mean?”, Kono asked directly and watched every little motion, every little twitch in Danny’s face.  
Danny thought.  
“Don’t do anything wrong now. This girl has learnt from the best. If you don’t watch out, she’ll see right through you.”  
“A little, yeah!”, he answered.  
“But we’ll be fine. You know us…”  
Kono nodded.  
“That’s what I was hoping!”  
“Great!”  
Kono got up and walked towards the door, when she turned around again.  
“We’re going to Kamekona’s later. You coming too?”  
Oh great, that was just what he needed: spending even more time with Steve. No, he would gladly pass the opportunity for further humiliation.  
“No, I don’t think so. I have stuff to do!”,he declined.  
“I see, well, okay then I’ll leave you to it! See yah!”  
“Yeah, see yah!”  
Kono left the office. Danny watched her. Had she noticed something?

She had. Something was off, and it seemed to had been about Danny. That’s what she got from that conversation…

Steve had gotten into his neoprene diving suit, taken his surfboard and swam out into the sea, not on the lookout for waves. He needed calm, and so he swam and swam and swam until there were no waves anymore. He was sitting spread eagled on his board and was looking into the deep blue. He brushed his hand through the water and watched the waves he had made spreading, slowing down gradually and finally dying out.  
“and everytime, I’m dying of fear because I love you and…”  
Steve shook his head.  
Damn it, Danny! Why? Why the hell? Why did you have to say it out loud? It wasn’t that Steve was angry because of it, he was just overwhelmed. Why had his partner developed feelings from him, let alone expressed them? He himself had been feeling things for Danny, feelings far deeper than friendship, but had to bury them time and time again because he was sure, they wouldn’t turn into anything more. Never had there been even the tiniest sign that Danny and he could…or else he would’ve…  
And now, after Danny’s accidental love confession everything was different, and even though they could try, Steve was afraid. Afraid of it possibly destroying the friendship with Danny. How to behave? And how would Danny behave? How, how could they possibly continue to work with each other?


	5. A New Case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so very much. I really enjoy reading your comments. Finally got the time to translate the next installment. Not much of McDanno this time...but that will change again, I promise ;) Back when I first wrote this, I had a change of heart about the next chapters, so I had to somehow manage to link the first chapters with what is to come. I think the title says it all... And now, enjoy^^

An hour later Steve, Chin and Kono were sitting at Kamekona’s eating and drinking and celebrating solving that last case. Kamekona brought a plate of his famous shrimps when the looked around.  
“Hey, where’s the haole?“  
His first glance was at Steve, who just shrugged.  
“I don’t know!“   
„He had some things to settle, brah!“, Kono explained.   
Steve listened. That sounded to him as if Danny was avoiding him. But they simply could not go on like this now, could they? They somehow had to manage to act like normal, and to do so, he had to talk to Danny, explain, but how? Lost in thoughts he did not notice Kono observing him. That situation with Danny seemed to be getting to him. Kono got impatient. She wanted to know what the hell was going on. Five-0 was on the line for God’s sake.

The next day Danny came to work like it was a normal day at the office and not day one after the big hit. He ignored both Kono’s and Steve’s piercing. Maybe he should put up a sign at his door.  
“Do not feed!”  
Or even better, training for an act. After all, he seemed to be the main attraction in this circus. He did his paperwork, and met up with the others at the big computer table to get all the documents together and close the case for good.  
“Are you alright?”, Steve asked cautiously.   
“Sure, why shouldn’t I be? And you? Did you swim with the white sharks today?”  
Danny answered in hope he sounded as ironically as always.  
“No, didn’t have the time yet!”  
There. A tiny bit of hope. Yet, it still felt…awkward. Steve closed the lit of the box they had put their folders in. He looked at his watch.  
“Okay, if there is nothing for you to do for now, take the rest of the day off. Get some rest, relax!”

Kono knocked at Chin’s door.  
“Cousin, what’s up?”  
“Chin, I wanted to ask whether you want to hang out, get a drink. Or do you have something else to do?”  
“You know I always have time for my favorite cousin!”

Half an hour later they were sitting at a beach bar. Chin was drinking a beer and Kono was sipping her non-alcoholic cocktail while they were talking about the good old times and their sometimes difficult family ties.  
“You know, cousin, I’ve always been so proud of you. No matter what you did. And the way you handled all your setbacks. Your knee…”  
Kono smiled.  
“Thank you, Chin!”

In that moment, a blonde, petite woman with a beautiful face was walking across the beach lost in thoughts. Her clothes, a short jeans and a white top were blood-spattered. The people watched her in horror, some were screaming in shock or fear. Kono noticed her first.  
“Chin, look!”  
She pointed behind Chin Ho’s back. He turned around.  
“Come on, we gotta help!”  
He and Kono got up and ran towards the woman.  
“Let me talk to her! Woman to woman!”, Kono suggested.  
When they reached her, they stopped and Kono slowly stepped towards her and lay a hand on her shoulder.  
“Can I help you?”, she asked.  
At first, the woman did not seem to notice her and starred right through Kono. But then some imaginary switch seemed to flip. She looked at Kono and stuttered:  
“He…he is…d-d-d-dead!”


	6. Dead Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the case kicks off...

„Okay, calm down!“, Kono said in a soothing voice.  
“Who is dead?”  
„M-m-my hu-husband!“, the blonde stuttered.  
“Okay, your husband is dead. Can you tell me what happened?“  
The woman shook her head no.   
“Okay, no problem. Can you tell me, where you found your husband?“  
The woman again shook her head no and started crying.  
Kono tried her best to calm her down. Chin Ho was standing in some distance and heard everything. He was already dialing on the cell to call Steve. 

Danny was sitting at home and took a deep breath. The day at the office was really tough for him. He just could not act as if nothing ever happened. On the other hand, however, he knew that he had to be a professional about this. So he had made up his mind to only speak to Steve whenever necessary and even then, only about work-related stuff. After his accidental love confession their friendship had been pushed into a corner where there was no getting out of for now, if ever. In that moment, his phone rang. Steve. Of course right now. Should the pick up? What, if it really was work-related, a new case for Five-0? The could hang up afterwards anyway. So he picked up.  
“Steve, what’s up?”  
“Danny, we have a new case!”  
Steve explained and when Danny had understood everything, he made his way to the office. 

Steve and Danny entered the house with blazing guns. The women had given the address to them after they were able to question her in Steve’s office.  
“Clear!”, Steve yelled from the kitchen.  
“Steve, over here!”, Danny yelled.  
Steve followed Danny’s voice, which led him into the living room. There, in a lot of blood, lay the corpse of a man with short dark hair, approximately 5 feet 11. He way lying on his side and next to him a knife with blood on the handle.  
“Okay, Danny, call forensics!”  
Danny nodded.  
“Okay!”  
Steve took a long look at Danny.  
“Danny, don’t you think we should…”  
But Danny had already stepped away to call the team.

Later Five-0 met at the office to catch up on the case. Chino entered dates into the computer, swiped across the desk and the data landed on the monitors.  
“The victim’s name is Christopher Pearson. 35-year old Caucasian and head of a restaurant.”  
That’s when Kono took over.  
“His wife, Charlotte Pearson was the one who found him. When we questioned her, she was still in shock, but in the end, she could tell us the location of the apparent crime scene.”  
Steve‘s phone rang.   
„It’s Max!“  
He put Max on speaker.   
„Max, what’s up?   
„Hell, Commander McGarrett. As I assumed, the victim was killed with the knive we found. He was stabbed right into his heart.”  
“Thank you, Max!”  
Steve was about to hang up, when…  
„Ich was able to get a finger print from the knife!“, Max revealed.


	7. Cargument of a different kind…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An interrogation and (maybe) some new leads...

Charlotte Pearson was sitting in the dark gloomy interrogation room of Five-0 when the door opened and Steve and Kono entered. While Kono was looking at the woman sympathetically, Steve’s was ice cold.   
„Mrs. Pearson, we found your fingerprints on the handle of the knife your husband was stabbed with. What do you have to say about that?“  
Charlotte was looking at him quizzically.   
I used the knife for cooking before, so naturally, I had to touch it!”, she explained.   
„You don’t really believe I would kill my own husband, do you? I love him. Really love him!”  
„You wouldn’t be the first wife to kill her husband!”, Steve made clear.   
Charlotte was welling up.   
„Listen, God knows our marriage wasn’t perfect. But I loved him way too much to kill him. Believe me!“  
„Well, you are our only suspect and you do not have an alibi and conveniently, you do not recall anything!“  
„Steve!“, Kono interrupted.  
Steve turned around. Kono stepped towards Charlotte and motioned Steve to leave the room, which he did.  
“Charlotte?”, she asked calmingly.  
“Earlier you said, you’re marriage was not perfect. Was there…domestic violence at some point?”  
“You mean if my husband ever hit me?”, Charlotte wanted to know.  
Kono nodded.   
“No, he never hit me. He seemed a bit absent this past weeks, and…”  
“Mr. Pearson, did your husband have any enemies, any big fights? Keep in mind, everything you say could possibly get you off the hook. We will find out if you’re innocent!”  
Charlotte thought carefully.  
„Well, he was talking on the phone quite intensely and every time I came into the room, he ended the call.”  
“Thank you, Mrs Pearson. You’ve been very helpful. I cannot guarantee anything, but we will investigate this lead!”

„Are you sure she told the truth? Maybe she wanted to mislead you?”  
Kono had met up with the three boys to discuss the interrogation.  
“I’m not one hundred percent sure, but my gut is telling me the shock she had when Chin and I found her was not an act. And before we book her, we need to make sure, don’t we? Something is off…”  
Danny, Steve and Chin nodded.   
„So let’s see what we can get from his cellphone!“, Steve said.  
“I’m on it!”, Chin answered.  
Steve looked at Danny.  
“And…”  
Then he turned towards Kono.  
“The two of us will have a look at the restaurant he was manager of!”  
Kono was surprised, but nodded. Danny did not seem to care, in fact, he even seemed relieved. 

Kono was sitting next to Steve on their way to the restaurant. She was starring at Steve. When he noticed, he glimpsed at Kono.  
“What?”, he asked as cool as ever.  
“Nothing!”, Kono said equally cool, but with a tone in her voice that made it clear that there actually was something.   
“Fine!”  
“Fine!”  
Now, Steve was not so cool anymore. Right here, next to him, was where Danny sat when he accidentally said he was in love with him. Kono observed Steve. She would be patient. Steve, however, couldn’t stand the suspense anymore.  
„Don’t you ask why I took youwith me?“  
Kono looked at him. She had many ways she could answer that question. She decided to go for the most candid way.  
„Is it because of what happened between you and Danny?“  
„What…nothing…nothing happened between me and Danny…no…“  
Steve tried to produce his laid-back smile, but it turned out a rather shy, almost hysterical one.  
Kono lifted her eyebrow.  
“Huh!” was all she said.  
Steve watched her. She was on to them. Maybe he should just fill her in? But somehow it seemed wrong. For it was Danny who had confessed his love to him, not the other way around. Steve was not supposed to talk about Danny’s feelings, was he? Not even if he himself was not sure about how to go on…


	8. At the restaurant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new direction for the case...Chin Ho has a talk with Danny...and then...

Kono und Steve entered the restaurant. It was a tasteful mix of Hawaiian interior of the past and the present. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual. They had agreed to stay undercover to evaluate the situation. So they were posing as a couple wanting to have lunch. Steve was sitting with his back to the counter. So Kono was the one to observe. There were a male and a female staff member doing the waiting, a barkeeper and a man dressed casually but chic. He was looking a bit annoyed while apparently doing the accounting. The way he was dealing with the other staff members only allowed one conclussion for Kono.  
“He has to be the one in charge. He seems to be doing the accounting since Pearson hadn’t shown up.”  
Steve looked over his shoulder towards the man and nodded. Kono looked more closely.  
“Something seems to bother him…He’s hiding something…”

“So, care to elaborate, brah?”, Chin asked without looking up from the computer table. They were still waiting for the findings of the victim’s cellphone calls.  
“What do you mean?”, Danny asked while starring at the table.  
“Stop asking, I’m not a suspect!”, he thought annoyed.  
Why does the entire world seem to care about his feelings all of a sudden?  
“This thing between you and Steve. Something happened, right? Not that it’s any of my business, but Kono also noticed.”  
“You are right Chin. It is none of your business. But I can reassure you: nothing happened. We just decided that we want to work less together. That’s all!”  
„Okay, if you say so, brah!“, Chin Ho said to end the topic, but deep down, he was of the same opinion as Kono.  
Something major had happened. Finally, they had a hit. Chin tipped across the display. Danny was looking over his shoulder. His eyes were going back and forth.  
“That’s interesting!”, he murmured and swiped some documents across the table towards the monitors close by where the appeared side-by-side.  
Danny was looking at the documents one-by-one. The first one contained all the calls from Christopher Pearson’s cell. And there was one number he had called and received calls more than usual. And that number belonged to a Charles Monroe. He was none other than the owner of the restaurant the victim Christopher Pearson was the head of.  
“Tell Steve!”, Danny asked Chin Ho who immediately reached for his phone and dialed Steve’s number. 

Steve’s cellphone rang.  
„Chin?”  
„Steve, these calls Pearson was having, the were coming from Charles Monroe’s phone. He’s the owner of the restaurant. I’ll send you a photo.”  
“Great job, Chin!”  
Steve hung up and brought Kono up to date about her cousin’s findings. His cell beeped and the photo appeared on his screen.  
“Son of a…It’s him…”  
He showed Kono the picture. She nodded.  
“Then let’s see if he can answer some of our questions…”  
She and Steve got up and walked towards the bar…


	9. A New Lead?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new suspect and a new lead?

„Mr. Monroe?“, Steve asked politely.  
Charles Monroe gave Steve a look of skepticism.  
“Who wants to know?”  
“I’m Commander Steve McGarrett, Five-0. This is my partner, Officer Kono Kalakaua.”   
Monroe took a look at the batch Steve was showing him. Then he looked at Kono.  
“What can I do for you?  
“We would like to talk to you about Christopher Pearson. He is your employee, correct?”, Steve asked and observed Monroe closely while waiting for his answer.  
Kono was also looking into Monroe’s face to see whether she can get anything from it.  
“Yes, he is. But he didn’t show up today. What about him?“  
„Mr Monroe, Mr Pearson was found dead. He was murdered!”  
Monroe was shocked.  
“He is…dead?”, he asked as if he hadn’t heard right.  
Steve nodded. Monroe took a look around.  
“Let’s go into my office. We can talk privately.”  
Steve and Kono agreed. Charles told the barkeeper he was not to be disturbed for some time and gestured the two to follow him. In his little office, he offered a seat to both of them.  
“How can I help you?”, Monroe asked.  
“What was your relationship with the deceased?”, Kono asked.  
“Strictly professional. Of course we had our differences. That just comes naturally with running a restaurant. But all in all we got along fine.”  
“Mr Monroe, he called you many times and. Can you tell us what these calls were about?”  
“Administrative things. We wanted to come up with a new and fresh concept, so we brainstormed a lot. We both wanted to keep the restaurant in the blacks so we had to change something.”  
“Mr Monroe, do you know of any enemies Mr Pearson could have had?”  
Monroe hesitated.  
“I’m not sure…it’s probably nothing, but in the last few weeks, he seemed to be more and more unhappy in his marriage…maybe I just misinterpreted…Then again, it happens in the closest relationships, doesn’t it?”  
Steve and Kono looked at each other. 

They were just coming back to the Five-0 headquarter where Danny and Chin were waiting for them.  
“And? How did the interrogation go?”  
“The owner indirectly pointed at the wife as well…”, Steve explained.  
He was standing next to Danny, who got nervous being so close to Steve.  
“And if she did do it?”, Chin Ho asked.  
“Everything brings us to her.”  
“But is that enough to book her?”, Danny wondered.  
Kono shook her head no.   
“I still do not think it was her. There still is something shady we haven’t even scratched the surface of. I feel it in my guts. There’s something we’re overlooking. I just can put my finger on it…“

That very moment, Chins cell rang.  
“It’s Sergeant Duke Lukea from HPD!”  
He put his cell on the desk and put it on speaker.  
“Chin Ho Kelly, Five-0. You’re on speaker, Duke”, Chin said.  
“I got a man here who can say something about the case. This might be interesting.”  
“What is it about?”, Steve wanted to know.  
“About the victim, Christopher Pearson. This might put the case in a whole new light…”  
The four looked at each other. What might that be?  
“Okay, send him over to Five-0!”

If that man really had something to say about the case that might change everything, they would have wasted a lot of time for nothing. Steve looked at Danny. He missed their little talks. Danny looked back, but then, he looked away. So Steve talked to Kono.  
“Kono, I would like to have you there when we interrogate him. If your instinct about Charlotte is right, this could be the key. Are you okay with that?”  
Kono thought. Should she…  
„But wouldn’t it be better if Danny were there? I mean the two of you understand each other without even looking and…”  
“Actually, I can’t. I’ve fallen behind on my paperwork. Also, Grace is coming to talk to me about something important, so…why don’t you two do it?”  
Steve quizzically looked at Danny. This was really getting to him by now.  
“Okay, Danny, but hurry up. We need to catch up on the paperwork!”, Steve said.  
“Don’t worry, Steve. If you want you’ll get them in quadruplicate, boss!”  
He really stressed that last word, which really hurt Steve. When did “Steven” become “boss”? Was he about to lose Danny for good?


	10. In A New Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Gracie. Also: a witness could be the key to solving the case.

Grace and her mother entered the office. Grace took a look around. Where could Danno be? Ok, right over there, in his office, reading some papers. She gave her mother a kiss before she entered Danno’s office. Danny looked up from his papers, saw his monkey and got up.  
“Monkey!”  
Danny was glad to have someone around who he could let his guard down with. His daughter meant everything to him. Without her, he would never have come to this island, he would never have gotten to know Steve…Steve… Danny shook his head. He did everything to grow out of his feelings towards him, but then again, it just wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Even more so, when the feelings went as deep as his for Steve. But he could not kid himself: the feelings would forever remain unanswered. So he had to keep on fighting them.  
“How was school?”, Danny wanted to know.  
“It was great, I got an A!”  
Danny smiled.  
“Wow, Monkey, I am so proud of you!”  
Danny gave his daughter a hug.  
“Danno?”, Grace asked with this voice when Danny could not say no.  
“Yes?”  
“Where is Uncle Steve?”, the girl asked.  
Bull’s eye. Danny tried to be as calm as possible when he answered.  
“He’s over there in his office talking to Kono. The two are about to interrogate a witness!”, he explained an pointed towards Steve who was discussing their strategy with Kono. When Steve saw Grace, he waved and smiled. Grace waved back. For a moment, Danny was lost in daydreams. Jesus, what a smile…

“Do we know what he wants to tell us?”, Kono asked.  
Steve shook his head.  
“No, the best thing would be to just let him talk at first.”  
“Okay, Steve.”  
In that moment, Steve saw Gracie and waved at her. Danny was standing next to her. Kono also waved towards he beautiful little girl.  
“She is growing up fast…”  
Steve nodded while looking at Danny talking to his daughter.  
“Steve…”  
“No, Kono, I do not want to talk about it…”  
“Okay!”  
Slowly but surely, Kono came to think that there was only one possible reason. But when it came to the two of them, it was nothing but insane. But that could also be exactly why…

Ten minutes later, a man walked into Steve’s office.  
“Commander McGarrett?”  
“That’s me!”, Steve said.  
The man was around 35, tanned, aparently a surfer, short salt-and-pepper hair, and was walking towards Steve. They shook hands.  
“Aiden Mathis.”  
Steve was pointing towards Kono.  
“This is Officer Kalakaua. Please have a seat. What can I do for you?”  
“I saw a picture of the deceased in the news. They said he had a wife.”, Mathis explained.  
“That is correct.”  
“Well, you see…that surprised me a bit…here’s the thing: I saw him quite a few times in a club I visit regularly…”  
Steve and Kono did not understand.  
“Mr Mathis. What is so surprising about that?”, Kono asked.  
Aiden Mathis looked at her.  
“He was always there with someone…the same someone”, he pointed out.  
Kono and Steve looked at each other in surprise.  
“He was there with another man.”, Mathis added.


	11. Dreamteam Comeback?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Kono have a talk woman-to-woman, and maybe, our two favorites get their sh*t together

While Steve, Danny and Chin Ho were discussing the recent findings, Kono was looking after Grace who was doing her homework. The two of them got along great.  
“Kono?”  
Grace had just stopped doing her homework and was looking at the young police officer. Kono was smiling kindly at her.  
“Yes?”  
“Can you teach me how to surf? Danny told me you are the surfer on the island!“  
“Well, maybe not THE best…”  
Then she frowned.  
“Hey, didn’t your father want to do that himself? Years ago?”  
“Well, he didn’t…and he is acting strangely these past few weeks, so there is not much I can do with him…”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well, everytime I tell him something he seems lost in thoughts and them he is smiling as if…”  
Grace stopped talking.  
“As if…?”, Kono asked.  
Grace looked at her, unsure, whether she should continue.  
“Well, I don’t know…”  
“Grace, you wanted to say something just know, didn’t you?”  
At last, Grace gave in.  
“Well, there is this boy in my class, and I think he’s kind of cute, and…”  
Kono nodded understandingly.  
“I understand.”  
Did Danny have a new girlfriend? But why this fight with Steve then? Had Steve said something stupid about Danny’s love life? Danny was very protecting of his private life…  
“But Kono?”  
“Yes, Grace?”  
“Please don’t tell Danno about this boy, okay?”  
Kono promised.  
“Surfer’s honor!”  
Kono made the Shaka sign, and Grace mimicked her. 

That very moment, Steve waved her.  
“Grace, I have to go talk to the other for a bit about our case, okay? I’ll be right back!”  
“Okay!”  
Kono hugged the little girl.  
“And your secret is safe with me!”, Kono reassured Danny’s daughter once again before leaving the office.  
She joined the others. Danny glimpsed over to his daughter.  
“What were you guys talking about just now?”, he wanted to know.  
“Girl stuff, sorry, brah!”, Kono said with a smile.  
“So, how do we proceed?”  
“Two of us should have a look around that club, maybe there is something there. Then we should talk to Charlotte once again, depending on what we might find out there.”  
Chin Ho nodded.  
“Alright.”  
Steve was looking at Kono.  
“So, Kono, dress up, we’re going celebrating!”  
“Sorry, Steve, I can’t. Family.”  
Chin Ho nodded.  
“We have to go the tonight, sorry!”  
Internally, Steve sighed. That only left him with one option.  
“Danny?”  
Danny looked as if he was about to get scolded for something.  
“Yes?”  
“How about it?”  
Danny was thinking. Spending time with Steve again? There was nothing else he would rather do. But if, then please the way it was before him confession his love all over the place. On the other hand, they might be able to take the case further.  
“I thought you’d never ask!”  
That came out more ironically than he intended.

That evening, the two of them were driving to the club. Steve was watching Danny next to him. Danny was sitting here like a kicked puppy and was staring straight ahead.  
“You…dress up nice!”, Steve was impressed.  
Danny was wearing a black shirt, the top three buttons were left open. Steve caught a glimpse of the skin under Danny's shirt and suddenly, it was gettng warm in the car. Steve did his best not to stare and so he was watching the road ahead instead.  
“Don’t Steve! Just, don’t, okay? Let’s just investigate and go home as quickly as possible!“  
Steve was parking the car and when they got out, they looked at the neon sign very surprised. The address was correct.  
“Danny, I think this is a…”  
“…gay club!”, Danny finished astonished.


	12. Steve’s trying to explain.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An insight into Steve's feelings...

Steve was looking at Danny, completely lost about what to do or say next. Danny, on the other hand could have imagined a thousand more pleasant things than to attend a gay club with his unreachable, because straight to the core love. But what could he do? Maybe they would find proof to solve their case here.   
“We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”, Steve assured him.  
“No, let’s do this. We need to!”  
Danny approached the brightly lit entrance to the club called „Bros“. Steve followed him. They paid at the entrance. The security guard at the door was x-raying them from head to toe and frisked them before letting them pass.  
“Have fun, girls!”, he said flamboyantly.  
“We are not a…”, Danny began before Steve interrupted him.  
“Thank you!”  
The two of them went into the interior of the club and took a look around. Sweating guys with muscular, naked torsos were dancing to the thumpa-thumpa. Behind the bar, a handsome man was mixing drinks. Steve nodded towards him and Danny nodded. They were making their way over to the bar, when the barkeeper approached them.   
“What can I do you two hunks for?”, the asked seductively.  
Steve showed his badge.  
“How about an information?”, he suggested.  
He showed the barkeeper the photograph of the deceased.  
“I know him. He’s been here a few times.”  
“Are you sure? I mean, because of the number of guys…”Danny asked skeptically.  
The barkeeper nodded.  
“You know, this club is a community within the community. We know each other. Mostly. Some know each other pretty well, others only briefly, but we do know each other. That guy, he’s been here quite frequently this past weeks. With his boyfriend. At least I think he was his boyfriend. I mean the way they dance with each other. Hawt!”  
„Can you describe his…boyfriend?“, Steve wanted to know.  
The barkeeper had to think a few moments.  
“Approximately the same age. Handsome. Dressed to kill if you know what I mean…“  
“That’s not much!”, Danny said impatiently.  
The atmosphere started to get to him.   
“Wait a minute…I overheard something when they were talking to each other. I think, they worked together. They talked about a restaurant…”  
Steve and Danny looked at each other. Could it be? It couldn’t. But…could it?  
„Can we go now?“, Danny asked when they agreed on what they just heard.   
Steve was leaning on his elbow and took a long look at Danny. Actually, this club was the perfect location to talk about their feelings, wasn’t it? Danny was starting to feel uneasy. Why did Steve have to look at him this way again? Danny was looking at Steve, imploring, begging him to grant him this one wish. Steve was at a turmoil. But if Danny wanted it that way. But didn’t he also want for Steve to have the same feelings?  
“Of course!”  
They were heading for the exit, when a small, stocky, blond guy was blocking their way and checking out Steve.  
“Wow, what a stud!”  
Danny snorted despicably. Really? How lame. But then, there was this split second when he pictured the two of them, in the spotlight, making out. And there it was, that fury… Steve was looking at the guy.   
“You wanna dance?”  
At first, Steve didn’t know what to say. Danny, about to lose it, just left Steve and that son of a bitch standing there.  
“No sorry, I think my boyfriend might have something against it!”  
Steve hurried after Danny and didn’t realize until a few seconds later how that came out…

Steve was tossing and turning. He couldn’t shake of the past evening. There was something between Danny and him, he was having feelings for Danny, but Danny was pulling away from him. Because of all the wrong reasons. Damn it, why did it all have to be so complicated? Steve was getting up and was putting on his martial arts gear. He had to wear himself out. He needed to sleep. Urgently.

The next day, Steve and Danny were alone in the office. When Steve came in, Danny was already sitting behind his desk. Steve was gathering all the courage he could muster and opened the door to Danny’s office. Danny did his best to ignore Steve. Did he have to do that now of all times? Steve was standing on the other side of Danny’s desk.  
“Danny, I…”  
“I can’t do it anymore, Steve!”, Danny blurted out.   
He seemed to be on the verge of exploding.  
“What is it you can’t do anymore?”  
“This. Talking to you, Steve, because then you get those…puppy eyes, and…”  
Steve tuned around and leaned on Danny’s desk, his back to Danny. They remained silent for some time. Nobody wanted to say anything. Then…  
“I thought I can do it. Act like nothing happened Steve!“, Danny started, his voice shaking.   
“But I can’t. I just…can’t, Steven! It doesn’t feel the same anymore, Steve, it doesn’t feel like we’re in this together. It feels like…Like I lost you on the way and I cannot find you anymore and…”  
Danny stopped. It took all of his strength not starting to cry. For a moment he was silent.  
“Being so close to you, just hurts at the moment, Steve. There is only pain.”  
“Danno…“  
„Please don’t call me Danno, Steve. I’m begging you, don’t! Don’t make this even harder for me! I’m trying to swim, Steve, but I’m slowly drowning!“  
„Danny, I’m afraid!“, Steve manage to get out.  
And that was it.  
“Afraid of what?”, Danny wanted to know.  
“Of…”, Steve couldn’t put it in words.  
“Forget it, it’s stupid. I’m sorry, Danny! For everything.”   
Steve got up and left the office. Danny watched him go in surprise. What the hell?


	13. Kono discovers the truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kono finds out about the chaos between our two favorites.

„Mr. Monroe, could it be that you knew the deceased better then you’ve let on?“  
Charles looked from Steve who had just asked him to Chin Ho, who was leaning leisurely against the wall and was watching the two.  
“No, I didn’t!”, Monroe answered.  
“Are you sure? You were seen with him in a club. Does that ring a bell?”, Steve asked.  
“No?”, Steve continued.  
“Well, then let me refresh your memory: Christopher Pearson and you went to a local gay club called Bros. And now, let me ask you: Did you two have an affair?”  
Silence. Then…  
“Yes, goddamnit! We were in a relationship. Had been for quite some time. But it was more than just a random affair. We were in love. Deeply in love. He wanted to leave his wife and start over with me.”  
“Did you kill him?”, Steve wanted to know bluntly.  
Charles shook his head.  
“No, I didn’t! I could never hurt him!“  
Steve was not finished yet.  
“Why hadn’t he broken up with his wife a long time ago if he wasn’t happy? Was he afraid?”  
“He really loved her. It was just…hard for him.“  
“Or maybe, just maybe, he did not want to leave his wife and that is why you killed him. Because you couldn’t stand living without him!”  
Chin Ho listened up. Steve had never been this aggressive before.  
“Steve!”  
Steve turned around and looked at Chin. He took a deep breath. He had let his feelings take over. He walked out of the room.  
“You can go for now!”, Chin told Charles.  
“But please keep yourself available in case we have further questions!”

Danny was thoughtlessly swiping around on the touchpad of the computerdesk when Kono joined him.  
“Don’t even start!”, he said.  
“What do you mean?”  
Danny was furious, and yes, he knew that Kono was not to blame, but he had to let off steam somewhere.  
“Oh please, don’t act like it wasn’t your plan to send me and Steve to that club of all places. That’s what you wanted all along, for us to talk it out. You just couldn’t stop nagging!”  
“Danny, Chin and I really had a family gathering, you can ask him if you do not believe me. What the hell is going on?”  
Danny turned away from her. This was getting out of hand. He could not stand it anymore, he…  
“I’m so sorry, Kono. This whole situation is just tearing me apart at the seams right now, and…”  
Kono came to him and put a hand on his shoulder.  
“It’s okay, Danny. Whatever it is…But, what do you mean by “there of all places”? It was just a gay club, and…”  
And then, in slow motion, the dime dropped. The two men avoiding each other at all cost, Danny’s behavior as explained by Grace. These Two together in a gay club. Danny watched Kono cautiously over his shoulder. He knew her way to well to know what was going on now: Kono was connecting all the right points in her mind palace. She looked at Danny.  
“Danny, could it be, that you have feelings for Steve?”  
Danny laughed hysterically.  
“Me? Feelings for that Neanderthal?“  
Kono just looked at him. That was too hysterical, which Danny also noticed. The secret was out. So he could as well tell the truth. Danny took a deep breath.  
„I love him, Kono!“, he whispered.  
Kono gazed at Danny sympathetically. Poor Danny. He had that melancholic gleaming in his eyes, that he only got when he talked about his little monkey. So this had to be serious.  
“I accidentally told him after our last case in the car on the way back. Because he risked his life once again and every time I’m dying of fear. But I never thought he would have the same feelings for me. I just wanted to deal with it and get it over with. So I avoided him.”  
“And yesterday?”, Kono asked.  
Something must have happened then.  
“He got hit on by one of the guys in that club and I…”  
Kono grinned.  
“…you got jealous. I always imagined you were the jealous type.“  
Danny flushed.  
“That is not funny!”  
“Depends on where you stand!”  
Danny continued.  
“And today, he just walks into my office and stutters something like he is afraid and then he runs away. And I stand there simply not knowing what he wants!”  
Danny looked Kono in the eyes.  
“I can’t keep working with him like before if this is how it is going to be!”  
But Kono was already thinking one step further. She hugged Danny.  
“It will be okay, Danny. You will see!“

That evening, Kono rang Steve’s doorbell. Steve opened, completely covered in sweat.  
“Is this a bad time?”, Kono asked.  
Steve was still out of breath.  
“No, I just needed to clear my head. Come in.”  
Kono walked into Steve’s living room.  
“Can you do me a favor and hold up the pads for me?”, Steve asked. Kono nodded.  
Steve punched the jab three times, afterwards Kono tried to get him with the pads and he had to duck. They repeated that a few times, while the talked.  
“So, what can I do for you?”, Steve asked while focusing on the pads.  
“I wanted to ask you something…”, Kono answered.  
“This has to be important, if you come to my house!”  
“It is, Steve!”, Kono assured him.  
“So, shoot!”  
“Steve, what are your feelings towards Danny?”, she asked bluntly and punched Steve right in the face, because he had not expect such a question.  
“What do you mean?”, Steve wanted to know.  
“Steve, I talked to Danny and he told me everything!”  
Steve hesitated. He was not good when it came to talking about his feelings.  
“Kono, this is complicated. I was afraid this might destroy our friendship.”  
“Steve, what are your feelings towards Danny?”, Kono repeated.   
“I…There is…something…”  
“More than friendship?”  
“I…I don’t know!”  
Kono rolled her eyes at Steve.  
“Men!”  
She dropped the pads, pulled Steve towards the sofa and sat him down.  
“Stay!”, she said as he watched her.  
She went into the kitchen and fetched two bottles of beer. She handed one of them to Steve.  
“So, Steve, truth time!”  
Steve took a rather big sip.  
“Okay, there was a spark of feelings here and there…both physical and emotionally. Yesterday for example. He wore a black shirt, pretty much buttoned down. And when he was sitting next to me in that car…God, listen to me talking like a girl talking about her first love!”  
Kono grinned. The tough Navy-SEAL had a very soft spot.  
“I don’t know what to do. If I lose him…”  
“Steve, let me tell you something. The way this is going right now, you are about to. Something has to happen, or else…”  
“But what?”  
“Oh God, that the two of you always have to be so stubborn. Like an old married couple!”


	14. Observation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does the case come apart? Plus: Kono's sets Danny straight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry, life was very busy. But now, I'll try to get the rest of the chapters out as fast as possible. For those you are still on board, thank you very, very much for your patience. For everyone: I hope you still have fun with my little tale about our OTP.

First on the next morning’s agenda was the interrogation of Charlotte Pearson. Danny and Kono were to interrogate her. Kono, because she still was conviced Charlotte was innocent, and Danny because Steve got behind on his paperwork once again. 

„Mrs. Pearson, during our investigation we revealed that your husband was having an affair. With another man“, Danny explained.  
Charlotte looked at him without flinching.  
„I knew about that!“  
Kono and Danny looked at each other in surprise.  
„You knew?“, Danny asked.  
„Yes, he had an affair with the owner of the restaurant he was heading. Charles Monroe.”, she explained calmly.  
“Why didn’t you tell us?”  
“It was hard for me, even more so than I admitted to myself…”  
“Mr Pearson, do you know that this gives you a motive?”, Danny tried to explain.  
“But I did not kill my husband. You have to believe me. I loved him way too much to do something like that to him.”  
“Maybe that was the problem!”, Danny interrupted, now a bit harsher.  
“Listen, he told me he wanted a divorce because of his feelings towards men. Of course I wasn’t happy about this, but we talked a lot about this, entire nights and, even if it was the hardest thing for me to do in my entire life, we split. The day he died he wanted to start packing things and split our belongings. We wanted to do it as unbureaucratic as possible. So we decided to get just one divorce attorney. He wanted to move out…in with…him…and…”  
That was when Charlotte broke down in tears. Danny looked over to Kono, who stepped in.  
“Mrs Pearson, if what you say is true, can you prove it?”  
Charlotte desperately shook her head.  
“No, I can’t. Listen, I did not kill him. You have to believe me.”  
Kono looked into Charlotte’s eyes. Could she really have been wrong about Charlotte being innocent? She gave motioned Danny towards the door.  
“We’re right back!”  
Kono and Danny went outside the door.  
“I still believe her!”, Kono said.  
“She is telling the truth. I can’t say why!”  
“Kono, this case is clear. She did the deed. Do you really think, she would be so calm if her husband left her for another man?”   
“She’s a strong woman, Danny. Strong, but not cold. She doesn’t strike me as the murdering type.”  
“But Kono, look at the clues…”  
“Yes, Danny, but there is not enough evidence to build the case.”  
“So what do you suggest?”, Danny wanted to know.  
“Let’s observe her for a bit. If she really did it, she’ll make a mistake sooner or later.”  
“Okay Kono. In the meantime, we’re carrying on. But if we do not find anything solid, we have to book her!”  
“Okay, Danny. Thank you!”

Kono and Danny were ascending the stairs to the office.  
“By the way, I talked to Steve about…you know…”  
Danny look at her in shock.  
“And what did you find out?”  
“Danny, you need to clarify this on your own. But I’ll give you this: It’s not a lost cause. You just need to listen to each other for once!”  
She smiled at Danny. To him, this was a tiny silver lining. But what if he would hear was not what he wanted to hear?

He and Kono took over observing Charlotte Pearson from their colleagues on the next day’s morning. They had just watched the postman bringing the mail.  
“But how can I talk to him, Kono? If I tell him I know from you that he too has feelings, he will retreat, and then I screwed up for good.”

“Danny, this is something you need to figure out for yourself. I cannot do everything myself. Although you’d probably make a cute couple.”  
Kono grinned. Danny imagined him and Steve together and smiled.  
“Danny, down!”, Kono whispered and she and Danny ducked.   
Charlotte got the mail and looked through it. One envelope caught her eye. She opened it and her eyes got wide. She hurried back inside.   
“What was that all about?”, Danny asked.  
“Why was she acting strange all of a sudden?”  
“I don’t know”, Kono answered when her cellphone rang.  
“It’s her!”, she said surprised as she showed Danny the display.  
She picked up and put Charlotte on speaker.  
“Officer Kalakaua?”  
“This is Charlotte Pearson speaking. I need to talk to you. It is urgent!”  
Charlotte was out of breath.  
“Mrs. Pearson, calm down please. Is something wrong?”  
“I just got evidence supporting my statement!”, Charlotte explained.  
Kono and Danny looked at each other and came to a silent agreement.  
“Okay, Mrs. Pearson…”  
But at that moment, Charlotte was screaming.  
“What do you want?”  
Danny and Kono just saw the door on the other side of the street slam shut. Then the line went dead…


	15. Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the showdown of the Christopher Pearson murder case. Who did it? Plus, we might possibly experience a breakthrough in Kono's own case...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, many thank yous to all of you who are stilling with me ;) This chapter concludes the case, but it is not yet the end of my little story. McDanno still have some things to sort out before I release them into the sunset...be it together or not...^^ Have fun reading the latest installment of "Cargument of Carguments"

Danny and Kono jumped out of their car. Danny opened the trunk and the two put on their bulletproof vest.  
“Okay, Kono, I’ll go in the front, you take the back. Get backup, okay?”  
Kono nodded.  
“Danny?”  
“Yes?”  
“Please don’t do something stupid, okay?”  
Danny grinned.  
“Stupid? Me? That’s not my thing!“  
One last look. Then…  
“Let’s go!”  
Danny and Kono ran across the street. In front of the house, the shortly nodded towards each other. The plan was in motion. Kono disappeared behind the side of the house. Danny tried opening the lock to the house, and, with the right tools and a tiny amount of skill he had it open in no time. He silently opened the door. He heard muffled voices from the kitchen. He put up his gun, ready to shoot if need be. He cautiously took one step after another towards the kitchen. He waited until he had eyes on the scene. A man had a gun pointed at Charlotte.  
“He is dead because of you!”, the man whispered hoarsely.  
“If it wasn’t for you, he’d still be alive.”  
Charlotte whimpered.  
“Please, you have to believe me, we had already separated and filed for divorce. It was just a matter of formalities!”  
“Bullshit!”, the man interrupted, and suddenly Danny knew who it was.   
“He told me he needed time, it was not that easy.”  
“I don’t know what went on with him, but right here, I have documents that proved we had agreed to divorce mutually.”  
The man took the documents without lowering the gun. His eyes grew wide in shock. Charlotte felt a glimpse of hope that she might actually make it out of this mess alive. But then…the man tore the papers apart.   
„Anyway, you are the one to blame for this mess!“  
The man became more and more hysterical, he must have lost his mind. He pointed the gun right between Charlotte’s eyes.  
“It it your fault he is dead!”  
“No, it is not. Please, you have to believe me!”  
The man laughed. It was a cold and harsh laughter.  
“You have no idea!”  
The man cocked the gun. Charlotte closed her eyes sobbing. This was it. It was over.

That was the moment when Danny jumped into the room.   
“Lower you weapon!”  
He had his gun pointed at the man, who instinctually grabbed Charlotte and put her in front of himself. He pointed the gun at her head. She felt the cold metal at her beating temple. She sobbed.  
“Don’t come any closer or she is dead!”  
Danny read the situation. Kono should be somewhere in the house by now. He lowered his gun to the ground and kicked it towards the man.  
“I just have one question…Why did you come here, Mr Monroe?”  
Charles Monroe was caught. Well, it didn’t matter anymore anyway.   
„It took him so long to break up with her!“, he started talking.  
“He kept stalling and kept stalling and kept stalling. ‘It’s not that simple, Charly!’ ‘I have to wait for the right time, Charly!’ ‘I really love you, Charly!’ And then, one day, I went to see him, his wife had just left the house, I had watched her leave. And then I asked him, if he finally broke up with her. And suddenly he said yes. I was so happy in that moment. Finally we could be together. I asked him whether he wanted to go pack right away…And he…he said…He said…no! He had to sort things out first. And that was when I got mad. I lost it. Once again he had thrown me a bone and then he took it away again. It was just so…cruel…as if he kept twisting the knife in my heart. Always a bit more…And then, there was this knife. I took it, and…”  
“…you stabbed him!”, Danny finished the sentence for him.   
Charles screamed.   
“SHUT UP! SHE WAS THE ONE WHO KILLED HIM. IT’S HER FAULT HE IS DEAD!”  
Charles pointed his gun at Danny.  
“Seems like we have a problem now. I can hardly let the two of you walk now, can I?”  
He pushed Charlotte towards Danny, who shoved her behind his back.   
“Mr. Monroe, be reasonable. Drop the gun. You still have a chance to make it out of this with little damage.”  
Danny took small steps towards Charles and held out his hand.  
“Just give me the gun, Charles!”  
For a short moment it seemed as if he would surrender, but then his look became cold. His finger went to the trigger, the pointed right at Danny’s chest, and…

BANG!!!

Danny dropped to the floor unconscious. For a short moment, Charley Monroe watched him in shock, until he too fell and held his shoulder, screaming in pain. Charlotte screamed. Kono had shot Charles through the window of the backdoor as he was about to shoot Danny. She entered the kitchen.  
“Are you alright?”, Kono asked Charlotte while cuffing Charles.  
Charlotte was staring at the scene displaying in front of her with empty eyes. Danny, unconscious, Kono kneeling on Charles Monroe who had just confessed to killing her husband and his lover. Just then, several people came storming in through the front door. Steve was the first who came into the kitchen. But what he saw, shocked even the tough, trained Navy-SEAL right to the core. Danny was lying there. Motionless. Maybe even…  
„Oh, please, God, no!“  
„He was shot, Steve!“, Kono called over.  
Damn it! But Steve had to remain calm to solve the situation professionally. He looked over at Charlotte.  
“Are you alright?”  
Charlotte was still utterly shocked, but slowly she realised what had just transpired and she started crying. Steve hugged her tightly. He mentioned a policeman to come over and take her to the medics outside. Then he looked at Charles Monroe, lying bleeding and moaning in pain on the ground, Kono above him.  
“Book him, Kono!”, Steve ordered coldly.   
Then, finally, he was able to deal with Danny. He kneeled down beside him.   
“Danny, wake up. Please. Come on! Hang in there! Don’t you dare leave me just like that! You do not get to confess your love to me, spin my head round, get me to have feelings for you just to leave me all alone here, you got me? You cannot do this to me! Wake up! Pull through this. You can do it! Come on!“  
Steve was looking for the bullethole and found it in his chest. Steve was welling up.

“Ouch!”, Danny said dryly.  
Steve shrugged when he heard Danny’s voice.  
“What did you just say?”, he asked.  
“Do you want me to spell it out for you? Ouch!”, Danny repeated and opened his eyes.  
He gave Steve a disapproving look through his half closed eyes.  
“Once again I am getting shot at. You know, ever since I am working with you Neanderthal, I contemplate taking out a life insurance.”  
“Danno…”  
Steve was relieved when he witnessed Danny sitting up and holding his ribs. He could not stop himself from embracing his coworker. Danny did not know how to handle that hug. It felt so damn good, but then again…  
“Uhm, Steve?”  
“Yes?”. Steve said, while secretly wiping a tear from his eyes behind Danny’s back.   
„Could you maybe let me go? I would like to stand up!”  
“You need to see a doctor!”  
“No need to, it’s alright!”  
“That is an order!”  
Danny shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
“Alright!”  
Steve did not leave Danny’s side as they left the crime scene.  
“You know, I can walk alone, I am a big boy! All grown up!”, Danny said.  
Steve, however, did not leave Danny’s side until he had delivered him to one of the doctors. While walking away, one question was bugging him:  
How much had Danny heard of his confession?


	16. Failure To Communicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Case closed. But how will our two hotheads go on from here?

Steve, Kono and Chin were sitting in the H5-0 office discussion the conclusion of the recent case.   
“So Charles killed his lover because things did not go fast enough for him? That’s cold!”  
Chin Ho simply could not believe it.  
“Well, apparently Christopher was stringing him along. At some point, enough was enough. To him it had to look as if Pearson was only playing with him. He did not know that Christopher just wanted to handle the divorce and the separation from his wife decently.”  
“His wife…Kono, if you hadn’t insisted on looking for more evidence, we would have booked her.”  
“Cuz, it was just my gut, nothing else. The first time we met her, that shock, it was just legit. She still loved him, even if they had split. And the divorce papers she got before Monroe took her hostage, prove she told the truth. They really had only one divorce attorney!”  
“What’s your take, Steve?”  
Steve was shifting in his chair, the cellphone in his hand.   
“Still no news from Danny?”, Kono asked.  
Steve shook his head. Chin gave Kono a quizzical look, but she just shook her head slightly.  
“Hey, he’ll be fine. Maybe he just went home without checking in…”

Danny was sitting in the examination room waiting for the doctor to tell him the results of the examination. His chest had turned purple and his ribs hurt when breathing. His thoughts, however, were still at what Steve had said to him while thinking that Danny was still unconscious. So Steve really had feelings for him. Danny did not know what to make of that. It all sounded…underwhelming. Answering an “I love you” with “having feelings” was just as bad as answering with a “thank you” or “okay”. And Danny just did not want to be the one putting more into it than the other. For then how would be the one to have his heart broken.  
“Thanks, but no, thanks!”, Danny thought.  
The doctor entered the room.  
“Mr. Williams, two of your ribs are sprained. You should take it easy for a few days!”  
Danny huffed ironically.  
“Not for nothing, Doc, but I am a cop, alright? And my partner thinks he is a perfect blend of Rambo and McGyver. So taking it easy is nowhere near my vocab!”  
He stood up and shook the doctor’s hand.  
“But thanks anyway, doctor!”  
Danny left the hospital. However, he had no intention to face Steve right now, so, instead of going to the office, he drove home.

At home he was pacing non-stop. How should he act now? What would happen? What if he lost control and things would happen? Danny could not stay home, the walls seemed to be closing in on him. He had to go out. He was roaming the streets. He wanted to run, but his ribs prohibited that. Then he saw a pub…

Steve came home from an exhausting exercise routine at the beach. The first thing he did was checking his cell to look whether someone, or rather a certain someone, had called. But no. No one. Steve sighed. When would he get the chance to talk to Danny? Steve stripped off the sweat-soaked shirt and went to the bathroom to shower. The pictures of Danny, lying unconscious on the floor, possibly dead, were haunting him as the cold water was pouring down on his body. He turned off the tub and grabbed a towel he fastened around his waist. He went downstairs. Maybe he should call Danny himself? See how he was doing? Check in whether he needed something? Yes, as a good boss, it was his job to care about his employees. He grabbed his cell. Just then, the doorbell rang…


	17. (Love)Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the thing's a little booze can do...

Steve did not want to see anybody right now. He ignored the bell. But it didn’t stop. Quite the opposite. Whoever was out there would not let up. Annoyed, Steve went to the door.  
„May God have mercy on whoever is behind that door right now!“, Steve thought furiously when he opened the door.  
But his rage was instantly gone when we saw who really was behind said door.  
“Danny?”  
Steve could not believe his eyes. Despite Danny being constantly on his mind, he was really surprised to see his partner of all people standing in front of him right now. Danny was staring at Steve.  
“Steve,’s juzz not fair!”, Danny lulled and passed Steve entering the living room.   
For a short moment, Steve was stunned, but then, he pulled it together and closed the door.  
“Danny, are you drunk?”  
Danny turned around. For a moment Steve was afraid Danny would fall, but Danny managed to remain standing.  
“Yyyyesssiiir!”  
Steve watched Danny. He looked completely out of it.  
“Danny…”  
„Whodoyah think y’are?“, Danny asked.  
“Wheredoyah gettoff tellin’ me you have feelings for me?”  
Steve did not know what to say. So Danny had heard it all. The whole flaming confession Steve made because he thought Danny would kick the bucket.   
“Danny, maybe we should talk tomorrow when you’re sober!”  
“Bullshit. You juzz wanna retreat! The biiiig, baaad Navy SEAL retreats! What a joke! Doyah think it’s funny stringin’ someone along and then let him starve to death?”  
Now, Steve was getting angry.  
“Me? Danny, you were the one who wanted distance. And I granted it. With pleasure. But your love confession made me think. Do you have any idea how often I thought whether we could be together? And now you’re here blaming ME? Seriously?”  
Danny tried to process everything but the alcohol made it very difficult.  
“Sssteven…I juzz don’t wanna become Sharles Monroe, gotthat? I don’ wanna stab ya juzz because…”  
Then, he lost his train of thoughts. Steve, on the other hand, was about to laugh. It was almost sweet how Danny talked about his feelings towards him.  
“You won’t be able to, Danny. I’m the big bad SEAL, remember? But for now, why don’t you lie down and sleep the booze off. We’ll talk tomorrow!”  
He gently pushed Danny towards the sofa.  
“Whoa, bigguy, I cann lie down maself! Don’t touch!”  
Steve put his hands up in defence.  
“Suits yourself!”  
Danny let himself fall on the couch and almost immediately started snoring. Steve smiled. Yeah, of course he can do it himself. Steve gently pushed Danny down to the pillow. He got a blanket and covered him. For a moment Steve watched Danny sleeping. God, how Danny was snoring…and that with Steve’s light sleep…wait a minute…why did he think about such things. Steve shook his head, turned off the light and ascended the stairs to his room. 

Danny was having a rought night due to the booze and Steve’s rather uncomfortable couch was not helping. At one point, he turned over and…fell from the couch the the unforgiving floor. Danny moaned. He got up an looked around. His head was spinning. Where was he? What had happened? For God’s sake, this was Steve’s house he was sleeping in. Of all places. Danny buried his face in his hands. He must have made a complete idiot of himself. Did he yell at Steve? God, no. He got back on the sofa and starred at the dark ceiling. He was not far from the man of his dreams. His heart was beating faster. Now, there was no thinking of sleeping anymore. He got up and made his way up the stairs. He knew where Steve’s room was. 

As silent as possible he made his way over the Steve’s room. The door was slightly ajar. He peaked into it. Steve was lying there, in nothing but shorts, the cover loosely drapped over his legs. The moonlight turned his muscular, naked torso into a game of light and shadow. Danny simply could not look away, this sight was overwhelmingly beautiful and caught Danny with an embracing warmth. He drank in every second, burning the image into his mind. How peaceful and relaxed Steve looked. His eyes were closed, the head turned to one side. His chest went up and down in a regular pace. Danny silently made his way back down. And now, that he had finally found calm, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	18. Can Two Become One?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The chapter where our two favorite haoles implode. Is this the end or the dawning of a beautiful friendship? Read for yourself.

The next day Danny was waking up with an incredible headache.  
“Oh!”, he moaned hoarsely while he was sitting up.  
“Don’t move!”, he told himself because his head and his ribs hurt like hell with every move he made.   
“Just don’t move!”  
“Awake already?”  
Steve was standing on the doorstep, naked except his shorts and two cups of coffee. Danny shrugged.  
“Not so loud, please!”  
He turned to Steve, and as he saw him standing there the way he did, he immediately turned away turning beet red. Jesus, Steve naked. Just what he needed right now.  
„How did I get here anyway?“, he wanted to know.  
Steve came towards him, sat down beside him and put one cup in front of him. Danny closed his eyes. Did Steve really have to sit down so close to him?  
“Please, be my guest, come closer, that might help with my freaking hangover!”, he thought.   
“Well, you showed up completely wasted yesterday…”  
Danny tried to look at Steve.  
“Stay focused on his face, do not look down, whatever you do, you cannot look down, or else…”  
“Did I do or say anything stupid? ‘Cause you know I cannot be held liable for any of it…”  
Steve shook his head.  
“Given the situation, you were good.”  
“Given the…what does that even…That gives me nothing!”, Danny said.  
“I probably yelled at you incoherently while pouring my heart out, haven’t I?”  
“I am glad you did!”, Steve answered.  
That caught Danny by surprise. Could it be…?

„No it can’t!“, Danny thought and got up.  
“I should go!”, he said.  
Steve watched Danny slowly making his way to the door. He too got up and followed him. Danny opened the door, but when Steve had caught up with him, he slammed it shut again. Danny looked in shock at Steve’s hand right next to his face. He slowly turned around and watch along Steve’s arm. He shrugged when he noticed how close Steve was. Danny could actually feel the heat radiatin from Steve. Steve’s eyes pierced him. Danny could not stand it anymore.  
“Steve, please, let me go. I am begging you to let me go!”  
“Stop running from me as if I were the devil himself!”, Steve said quietly.  
Danny wanted to push Steve away. But he stopped. He did not want to touch Steve’s naked skin because he was afraid he might get burned. Steve, noticing Danny’s hesitance, took Danny’s hand.  
“No, touch me!”, he whispered.  
“Right here!”  
He put Danny’s hand on his chest, right on his heart. Danny felt Steve’s heartbeat. It was going fast. Danny swallowed.  
„Steve!“, he begged with a whisper, his eyes backing his pleading up.  
“Danno!”, Steve answered calmingly.   
That was the one word of assurance. Assurance that what they were doing was right, that he wanted it, too. Both tried to read something from the other’s eyes. And then Steve was slowling coming towards Danny. Inch by inch. Until. Danny was feeling Steve’s lips covering his, kissing him gently at first but then more and more passionate, more demanding. Danny reciprocated, shyly first, but then he too became passionate. Finally. His dreams were coming true. All the fighting, all the pain, all this distance between them, were now gone. Danny felt Steve’s body all over his. He felt Steve, felt his excitement. Was this really about to happen? At last they split breathing heavily.  
„Wow, but I thought…“  
But Steve shook his head.  
“Don’t think, Danno!”  
Steve smiled as he pulled Danny towards him, lifted him up and pushed him against the door.  
Danny moaned.  
“Ouch!”, he yelled.  
„Steve, you Neanderthal. First, I am hurt, okay? I got cracked ribs and a beaming bloody headache. Second, we are both no 20 anymore, and third: I have been your partner for a long time now. Therefore, I am a physical wreck! Put me down!”, he demanded.  
Steve cautiously put Danny down.  
“Sorry…”, he said.  
“What now?”  
Danny rolled his eyes. But Steve’s puppy eyes melted his anger like ice in the sunshine.   
“How about we take this, whatever this is, to a more comfortable location for a start, babe?”  
Steve did not know what Danny meant.  
“Not a romantic, huh? How about your bedroom?“  
Now the penny dropped. Steve took Danny’s hand and pulled him after himself, up the stairs to his bedroom. As soon as they were in there, they started kissing again. First, a short kiss, then another on, then a long French kiss followed by a slight nibbling at Steve’s lower lip, which made Steve pant silently. Steve started unbuttoning Danny’s shirt. Button by button he stripped Danny’s Chewbacca chest hair he had noticed when they were on their way to the club. When he had stripped Danny off his shirt, the started undoing Danny’s pants.  
“Woah, easy there, tiger! We have time!”  
Steve gently pushed Danny onto his bed.  
“You okay?”, he asked worriedly.  
Danny nodded.  
“That was gentle for once!”, Danny acknowledged.   
Steve grinned.  
“You haven’t seen gentle yet!”  
Steve pulled down Danny’s pants and lay down on top of him. He started kissing him and brushing his loins against Danny’s. The erotic sparkle between them was electrifying. When they stopped kissing Danny looked into Steve’s eyes above him.  
“Let’s do it!”, Steve whispered.  
“Are you sure?”, Danny asked.  
“I want you to be very sure about his. Because once this is happening, nothing between us will ever be the same again!”  
Steve kissed Danny again. Their bodies were vibrating with lust.  
“I am sure, Danno!”

Danny grabbed the back of Steve’s head and pulled him towards him. The two were making out wildly. Danny’s free hand wandered down Steve’s back to line of Steve’s pants. His fingers reached under them and Danny felt Steve’s firm glutes. Steve’s hands, in the meantime, had found the way to Danny’s shorts and pulled them down with trembling fingers. Next, he pulled his own down. Now, there were no more boundaries, no more secrets between them. Both were completely bare. They looked deeply into each others’ eyes, until Steve reached into the drawer of his nightstand. They kissed and Steve spread Danny’s legs with his knees. He reached down and a few seconds later Danny was throwing his head back in lustful pain.  
“Oh my God, Steve!”, he moaned.


	19. McDanno In The Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it happend. How does it go on from here?

Danny and Steve were lying next to each other spooning, Danny behind Steve, his arm drapped around Steve’s waist. Steve’s hand grabbed Danny’s and was playing around with his fingers lost in thoughts when Danny kissed Steve’s shoulders.   
“What are you thinking?”, he whispered.  
“That I just had my first time with another man”, he answered.  
“And? Do you regret it?“, Danny wanted to know.  
Steve turned around on his back and looked into Danny’s eyes. His finger caressed Danny’s chin. He felt the stubble.  
„Not a second!“  
Both smiled and sealed Steve’s latest reassurance with a kiss.   
“So, how do we go on about this?”, Danny wanted to know.  
“Danny, this is all very new to me, but…”  
“But?”  
“But I want to be with you. Let’s do it. I think we can make it.“  
Danny’s heart jumped. Finally, the end of a long road.  
“So, do we tell the others? What about Grace?”, Steve asked while Danny was painting on Steve’s sweat-glistening chest.  
Danny interrupted his artwork and looked at Steve.   
“Let’s just go with it for now. The only thing that matters right now is this, you and me. And I promise, I’ll stand by you, no matter what!”  
Steve, however, had another thing on his mind.  
“Danny, I’m so sorry about the way I reacted when you told me you love me!”  
Danny shook his head, silencing Steve immediately.  
“Steve, I think I am the one who should apologize here. I wasn’t fair to you. I should have listened to what you have to say!”  
Steve grinned.  
“Seriously, you’re grinning, great!”  
Danny turned away, while Steve was laughing. He still knew how to push Danny’s buttons. Steve followed Danny’s motions and put his arms around Danny.  
“Hey, let’s just be done with all that happened in the last few weeks and live in the here and now, deal?”, Steve suggested.   
“Deal!”, Danny grumbled.  
Steve was looking at the display of his cell.  
“We have to go, we are already late!”  
Then he jumped out of the bed.  
“What are you doing?”  
“Taking a shower?”, Steve says and headed for the door, when, suddenly, he stopped.  
“Or do you want to join me, you know, for economic reasons?”  
“Economic reasons? You sure that that’s the only reason?”  
Danny winked, but got up and followed Steve. 

When they had parked the car in front of the H50 headquarters, Steve stayed seated and looked at Danny who was already getting out of the car. He grabbed his arm.  
“Are you ready?”, Danny asked.  
“Ready when you are!”  
Danny tried once more to get out and once again Steve held him back.  
“Steven, not for nothing but if we go on like this we will never make it to work. What’s bugging you?”  
Steve just had to grin.  
“Love you, Danno!”  
Danny gave Steve a kiss.   
“Love you, too, Steven! Now, let’s go!”  
Both walked next to each other into the building and both could not stop beaming.  
“Stop grinning!”, Danny whispered.  
“Me? What about you?“, Steve countered.  
Both stopped to get a grip before they entered the office. Kono and Chin were sitting in Chin’s office. Steve and Danny exchanged one last look before they joined their colleagues.  
“Finally! What took you so long?”, Chin wondered.  
Kono looked at the two of them with her observing look. Something had happened between the two of them. Steve and Danny felt Kono’s piercing look on them but tried to look innocent, but to no avail, as the two started grinning again. Chin was looking from Steve to Danny and back.  
“What’s the matter with the two of you?”, he asked and he, too, smiled.  
Steve looked at Danny.  
“Do you know what he’s talking about?”  
“No idea!”  
Danny shook his head. Chin turned towards her cousin.  
“Well, it finally happened. They spent too much time together and now they both lost it!”  
Kono smiled too. She had an idea what had happened between the two of him. Seemed like they finally got their shit together. 

That afternoon, Danny was sitting at the desk of this office when Steve came in. Danny didn’t even have to look up to know it was Steve, he just knew. Steve was looking around. Both Kono and Chin were busy. He stood behind Danny and embraced him from behind.  
“Steve, what are you doing?”, Danny asked, knowing full well what Steve was doing.   
Danny looked around, but before he could prepare for any Navy SEAL like move, Steve had already given him a pecker on the neck. Danny giggled while keeping an eye on Kono and Chin.  
“Steve, that tickles. I swear to God, when you give me a hickey…“  
“Then what?”, Steve asked provocative.   
“Oh, you know what!”, Danny said and winked.  
“I take that as an invite!”  
Steve looked through the office, Danny knew what Steve was thinking.   
“Steve, I’d like to tell Grace first. That’s important to me, that I am the one to tell her and that she is the first.”  
Steve nodded.  
“Of course!”


	20. Coming Out With Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are almost at the end of our little journey. There is still one very important thing for Danny to do: telling Grace about him being in a relationship with Uncle Steve. How is she going to take the huge news?

Danny sat nervously next to Steve in the Camaro while his partner was driving as usual. He did not say one word, so Steve wanted to break the ice.  
“Relax. It will go well, you’ll see.”, he tried to calm down his – this still sounded surreal – boyfriend.  
“Easy for you to say. You are Navy SEAL Commander Steven J. McGarrett.”  
“What is that supposed to mean?”, Steve wanted to know.  
“You are not in my situation, okay? I have an ex-wife plus new husband and a daughter who I see not nearly often enough and despite that I am about to tell them I am in a relationship with another man and I have no idea how they are going to react and…”  
“Danny…Danny, hey!”, Steve interrupted.  
“Calm down, will you? Just let it happen and go with it. You made up your mind to tell Grace. You do not know what will happen, okay?”  
Danny looked at Steve.  
“Let me tell you, you do not know my dear ex-wife like I do…”  
Steve nodded.   
“You know what, you are right, okay? I do not know her. But I know Gracie. And I am right there with you. All the way. You hear me? This is still new to me, but I have your back, you hear that, Daniel Wiliams?“  
Steve patted Danny’s knee. Danny took a deep breath and squeezed Steve’s hand. He was looking out the window. For a few moments there was silence, then Danny said:  
“Well, who knows? Maybe I am not the one being roasted. Maybe it’s you. I mean at the end of the day, you are the newest member of our diverse patchwork family, I mean, one has to investigate whether you deserve that honor!”  
Danny put on an evil smile, while Steve’s disappeared.  
“Oh great, now I am the one who is nervous!”

Steve was parking the Camaro in front of Danny’s ex-wife’s house.  
“Are you ready for this?”, he asked his boyfriend.  
“Just a moment!”, Danny asked.  
“Whenever you’re ready!”  
Eventually, Danny got out of the car. Steve followed and stood right in front of Danny.  
“God, why does this feel like back when I brought my first girlfriend home to my parents?”  
Danny nervously stepped from one foot on the other and let his head hang. Steve lifted Danny’s face with him hand.  
“Hey, it’ll be fine, just you wait and see!”  
Steve reached out his hand to Danny and the walked towards the mansion hand in hand. Danny rang the bell and Rachel opened.  
“Uh, hi!”, Danny said.  
Rachel looked surprised from Danny to Steve and back.   
„Daniel! Steve! Come in!“  
Rachel stepped aside an let the two men enter the house.  
“Can I offer you a cup of coffee?”  
“No, thanks, I am good!”, Danny said.  
“Steve?”, Rachel said.  
“Yes, please!”  
“Okay, have a seat and I will be right with you!”  
She gestured towards the couch before she headed for the kitchen.  
“You see, everything goes fine!”, Steve said.  
“I haven’t even started yet!”, Danny countered while nervously rubbing his hands. 

A few minuted later, Rachel came bach with two cups of coffee.  
“Danny, you said you wanted to talk to me about something. Is it about Grace?”  
“No…well yes…but no…well, somehow!”  
Danny did not know how to start.  
“What now? Can’t decide?”  
Steve decided that it would be better to get involved.   
“Just tell her, Danny!”  
Rachel looked at Steve, a bit surprised.  
“Tell me what? Danny, what is the matter? Tell me!“  
Danny took a deep breath.  
“Okay, here goes…Rachel, Steve and I…we are…together…like…for real!”  
Rachel looked a bit surprised, maybe puzzled even, but then her face lightened up.  
“Oh, that!”, she said as if it was an old hat.  
The two men looked at her in surprised.  
“Excuse me? “Oh, that”? Nothing else to say?“, Danny could not believe it.   
“What do you want me to say, Daniel? Finally, maybe?”, Rachel said.  
„Danny, I know you way too well to not know what is going on with you. You have been carrying this around for way too long.”  
Danny looked at her. In that very moment, he knew why the two of them had such a history together. Rachel turned towards Steve.  
“Take good care of him, please! And, I mean, by now, you know the can be a bit…grumpy at times…“  
Steve grinned.  
“Yeah, I noticed that!”  
“Hello? I am still here! Do you want me to leave to two alone so you can exchange notes on my misbehaviors.”  
Steve grabbed Danny.  
“No, stay!”  
He gave Danny as kiss.  
“Aww, get a room, you guys!”, Rachel said.  
Danny hesitated.  
“I want to tell Grace. I want her to know.“  
Rachel nodded.  
“I think that would be best!”

A few minutes later, the door opened and Grace walked in, her backpack on her back. When she saw who was sitting on the couch, she threw off her backpack and happily jumped into his father’s arms.  
“Danno!”, she cheered.  
“Hello, Monkey!”  
The two hugged.   
„Uncle Steve!“  
Grace hugged the SEAL.  
„Hello Gracie!“  
Steve gave the little girl a kiss on the head.  
“Hi, Mum!”  
Grace embraced her mother.  
„Grace, sit down for a moment, Danno has something he would like to tell you!“  
Grace sat down next to Danny and waited patiently for what her father wanted to tell her.   
“Do you want us to leave you two alone for this?”, Steve asked Danny.   
Danny shook his head.  
“Danno, what is it?”  
“There is something I have to tell you, Monkey!”, Danny started.  
Grace smiled.  
“You can tell me anything, Danno!”  
“You know, in the last few weeks, something happened…”, Danny started.   
“Yeah, I noticed. You were acting strangely, Danno!”  
The little girl never ceased to amaze Danno. She was really clever.   
“Yes, Grace, that was because…you know, I fell in love again.”  
Grace nodded.  
“And…”  
Grace gave Steve a short look. Steve did not know what to make of it. He was not in control of this situation, that was what made him very unsure. Grace interrupted her father.  
“Danno, are you and Uncle Steve…seeing each other?”  
There it was again, this stunning cleverness.   
“Uh, yes, actually, we are…seeing each other. Wait a minute, how do you know what that means?”, he wanted to know and looked at Grace’s mother, who put her hands up in defense.  
“I had hoped for you to have “the talk” with her!”  
“Anyway, Monkey, what do you think of that?”, Danny wanted to know.  
This was it.   
“I love it!”, Grace answered.  
“I love Uncle Steve. Is it serious?”  
Danny stopped trying to not be surprised with his daughter. Steve grinned.  
“That…we think it is…it is very new to both of us, you know, Gracie?”, he said.   
Grace nodded before she hugged first Danno, then Steve.  
“I love you!”  
“We love you, too, Monkey!”, Danny said.  
“But now tell me, how to you know about “seeing each other”? You’re still too young for that, you know!”  
Grace and Steve rolled their eyes.  
“Danno!”  
“What?”


	21. Five-O means…ohana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it, the last one, the farewell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aloha! Before you get started with the farewell chapter of "Cargument of Carguments", I would like to thank you all so very much for reading my little story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it all those years ago in German and then translating it into English during the last few months. Mahalo to those who commented, left kudos, or read secreatly. If you liked my story, let me know. I haven't written anything new for years but during the past few weeks while catching up 3 (!!!) seasons of Hawaii Five-0 AND reading many, MANY great new fanfictions, one or two scenes worth writing came together in my crazy little head. But enough talking. Simply...mahalo! And now, have fun with the sendoff for our two favorite haoles. Yours truly, DWA999

Danny woke up and blinked. The sun was shining through a gap between the closed drapes and tingled his face. Danny closed his eyes again. Maybe this was all dream. He cautiously felt the bed next to him. Nope, no dream. He was really lying next to him. Danny opened his eyes. What a sight. The sun shining on Steve naked torso reeled Danny in. Steve’s eyes were closed, one hand tucked behind his head, the other on was lying on his stomach. That sight gave Danny a feeling of security. Steve began to move. He opened his eyes.  
„Morning!“, he mumbled sleepily.  
„Good morning!“, Danny answered.  
Steve rubbed his eyes and yawned.  
“Did you sleep well?”  
Danny looked at him.  
“Terrific!”  
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah!”  
Danny grinned.  
“What?”, Steve asked.  
“You look so cute all sleepy. Really innocent!“  
Steve raised an eyebrow before giving Danny a good morning kiss.   
“I am so happy you’re here, babe!”, he whispered into Danno’s ear.   
“I still cannot believe how fast that went in the end…”  
“Do you regret it?”, Steve wanted to know, his face only mere inches from Danny’s  
“Not a second!”  
Steve pulled Danny into an embrace. Danny could feel the heat radiating from his boyfriend.  
“So you are not only a Navy SEAL but also a cuddle ninja. Deadly combination!”, Danny noticed.

Suddenly, a phone rang. Danny was reaching for his.  
“Not me!”  
He reached for Steve’s and handed it over to him. Steve groaned. Whoever disturbed their intimate morning would have another thing coming. Steve sat up and looked at his cell.  
“Kamekona. He is inviting us!“  
Danny had also sat up and looked over Steve’s shoulder.  
“What is he up to now?”  
Steve shrugged.  
“I don’t know.”  
Danny took a moment.  
“What is it?”  
“Steve, I think we should tell the others. They will notice anyway, but I think it is important for the team. I don’t want this to influence our work more than it already did.”  
Steve thought and then nodded.   
“You are probably right. Wonder how they will take it?”  
“I think Kono already knows. She had a feeling from the get go. No wonder, she learnt from the best!”  
“Aww, that’s cute!”, Steve smiled proudly.  
“I meant Chin and me!”, Danny made clear and had to duck so that the pillow Steve threw did not hit him.

They parked near Kamekona’s shrimp truck.  
“Why am I the one who is nervous now?”, Steve asked.  
Now it was Danny’s time to pat Steve on the leg to calm him down.  
“Because Five-0 is your family. Your ohana!”  
Steve looked at Danny in surprise.  
“Did you just talk Hawaiian?”  
“Now that you mention it…Told you you are a bad influence on me!”  
Danny leaned over towards Steve.   
“But I am addicted to you!”  
He kissed Steve.  
“So, are you ready?”  
Steve nodded as they got out of the car and approached Kamekona, Kono and Chin who were sitting at one of the tables.  
“It’ll be fine!”, Danny whispered when he saw how uneasy Steve was.   
“Hey, brah!”, Kamekona yelled.  
“Haole!”  
“Hi guys!”, Danny said while Steve remained silent.  
“Steve, what’s wrong?”, Chin wanted to know.  
“I…we…I need to tell you guys something…It is about Five-0”  
“Spill it, Steve!”, Chin said.  
“Danny and I are…”  
Danny took Steve’s hand.   
„We are together. As a couple!“  
Kono smiled. So she was right this whole time.   
Chin und Kamekona were both surprised.  
„But how? When?“   
„A few weeks ago. The Yakuza case?”, Steve answered.  
No the dime dropped for Chin.  
“Right, you two were acting strangely afterwards, and Kono…”  
He looked at his cousin.  
“You knew the whole time, didn’t you, cuz?  
“I had a hunch, but it became clearer and clearer that something big was happening between them!”  
Danny nodded.  
“You were right this entire time, Kono!“  
“I’m happy you finally made up your minds!”  
“So, what does that mean for the team?”, Chin wanted to know.  
“Everything stays the same. We just wanted you to know!”, Steve said.  
The two sat down.  
“That calls for a celebration, brah!”, Kamekona said.  
“Hear, hear!”  
The five raised their glasses.  
“To the two of you!”, Kono said.  
“To Five-0!”, Chin followed.  
“To friendship!”, was Kamekona’s toast.  
“To ohana!”, Steve and Danny said simultaneously.  
Steve was looking at Danny.  
“I love you, Danno!”  
“I love you, Steve!”  
„Awww, aren’t they cute?“, Kono grinned.   
Danny and Steve looked each other deep in the eye.

Everything was fine. Their friends and families were supporting them. Commander Steve McGarrett and Detective Daniel Williams had found each other again.   
As colleagues.   
As partners.   
As friends.   
As lovers.  
At last, Steve mouthed something, Danny did not understand, but he knew what it meant, and it made him smile.

„Aloha au, wau iâ `oe, Danno!“


End file.
